


A Lapse in Judgment

by Minuial_Nuwing



Series: Legacy Universe [4]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works
Genre: Brotherhood, Ficlet, Gen, Third Age, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-14
Updated: 2010-04-14
Packaged: 2017-11-09 10:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/454227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minuial_Nuwing/pseuds/Minuial_Nuwing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elrohir's mouth gets away from him.  Again.</p><p>(Written for the LJ 50passages challenge, prompt: <i>The fool’s hope has failed.</i>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lapse in Judgment

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Reference to canon character death
> 
> *********************

_~Trollshaws, 2930 III~_

"He hoped to surprise-"

"Then the fool's hope has failed!" Elrohir all but roared, his own exhaustion and unacknowledged grief blinding him to the sudden paling of their companion's face. "He is _dead_ , and likely eat-"

 _"Elrohir!"_ Elladan hissed, the single word honed to the keenness of a new-forged blade, and his brother's voice faltered for a moment, then went on stubbornly, peevishly.

It might have been amusing, were it not so terrible.

"-and we will join him if we do not get out of these bloody hills before sunset. This is troll country, if you have forgotten."

The blow fell without warning, the ominous cracking sound as much a surprise as the force which sent Elrohir into an inelegant sprawl, his eyes wide with shock above the hand that rubbed his smarting jaw.

"I daresay I will never forget," Arathorn spat, his hand twitching on the hilt of his sword, then he turned and stomped toward the handful of Rangers who stood at the edge of the small copse of trees.

Elrohir stared after him for a long moment, then groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Oh, no...no, no," he breathed, not daring to look at his brother. "Tell me I did not-"

"Exorcise your frustration on _the fool's_ son?" Elladan finished flatly, the verbal quotation marks hanging like shards of ice around Elrohir's own awful words. "I am afraid you did. Arador deserves better from you. Arathorn deserves better." Elladan's twisted ghost of a smile was neither amused nor understanding. "I would have fancied the fact that they once saved my ornery hide worth a moment of thought before speaking."

Elrohir rolled slowly to his feet. "They do," he agreed quietly, turning to follow Arathorn, "and it is."

*~*~*~*~*


End file.
